1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to techniques for cleaning up hydrocarbons.
More particularly, the invention relates to a method for cleaning oil or similar spills.
More particularly, the invention relates to a method for coagulating an oil spill or hydrocarbon spill on a fluid medium such as water by applying hydrocarbon gilsonite or one of the refined by-products thereof to the oil and water.
2. Prior Art
Contamination of the seas and estuaries by crude and refined hydrocarbon oil spills, either accidental or by natural phenomena, has resulted in massive pollution of many areas. The environmental damage to marine and shoreline ecosystems is inestimable but will certainly total many billions of dollars worldwide.
While the cost of cleanup to date is billions of dollars, no completely satisfactory system has been devised and no quick response plans are in place.
There are a number of methods in the prior art for oil/water separation, including physical methods of settling and skimming, centrifugations, absorption, magnetic powders, magnetic impregnated absorbent media, burning the oil slicks, recovery and burning the oil and absorbent media, chemically caused dispersion and absorption with materials which usually sink following absorption.
The methods of the prior art have serious limitations as burning, sinking, and dispersion further pollutes the water and sea bottoms. The skimming process is capable of removing large quantities of oil at a high rate but generally require expensive settling, centrifugation or other water separation devices.
The systems basically require improvement to be effective in economical recovery of a massive spill and protect the sea fauna and shoreline ecosystems.
It would be desirable if a material could be provided that would make it possible to absorb, confine, and collect the petroleum oil on the surface of the sea and remove it by skimming or surface collection methods for recovery by an economical method.
This invention preferably utilizes a high melting point resin extracted from a natural-occurring, solid hydrocarbon named Gilsonite. The invention can utilize with essentially equal efficacy the raw mineral as well as both the low and high melting point extract.
The present invention provides a material, aerated gilsonite, that can be readily dispersed to absorb the hydrocarbon oil spill, whether crude or refined, in a body of water of any size and with subsequent recovery of the absorbent and hydrocarbon from the water body. The absorbent and the hydrocarbon oil, a mixture solution, can then be processed using existing technology in a standard oil refinery.
The absorbent can be economically recovered and processed for reuse utilizing the same technology used to remove impurities.
The complete recovery of the spilled hydrocarbon, with subsequent refining, is an integral part of the utility of the present invention. The hydrocarbon absorbed, will remain strongly absorbed for days or weeks without harmful effects on wildlife, aquatic species, animals or shoreline ecosystems.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a method of preparing hydrocarbon gilsonite for treating oil spills.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a method for treating hydrocarbon contaminated water so as to allow for easy removal of the contaminate using gilsonite.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a method for recovery of hydrocarbon or oil spills allowing for the recovery of the oil which would otherwise be lost.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an effective and economic method or system of containing and recovering oil spills.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become better understood hereinafter from a consideration of the specification with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, and in which like numerals correspond to parts throughout the several views of the invention.
Further understanding of the nature and objects of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying tables in which like parts are given like reference numerals and wherein:
Table 1 shows the preferred embodiment of the invention.
Table 2 shows an alternate embodiment of the invention shown in Table 1.
Table 3 shows a second alternate embodiment of the invention shown in Table 1.
Table 4 shows a third alternate embodiment of the invention shown in Table 1.